Fluid-gage.



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FLUID GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I9. l9l0.

1,158,907, Patented Nov. 2, 1915.

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' ing is aspeeification.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAM STANLEY WESTERMAN EDGAR, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

FLUID-GAGE.

vented certain new and useful Improve-v ments in l quid-Gages, of which the follow- My invention relates to gages and particularly to fluid gages for determining the quantity of tiuidcontents of a tank or receptacle, and likewise the quality of the commodity by the determination of its relative weight.

The object of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of operation of such devices, whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction but will be more accurate and reliable in operation, convenient in form and location,

easily operated and unlikely to get out of repair. y 7

With the above primary and other incidental obj ccts in View as will more fully. appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalent, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a tank showing the gage forming the subject matter hereof in its normal position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the gage parts being in elevation removed from the tank and in position for determining the fluid contents of the tank. Fig. 3 is a part vertical sectional view of the gage as used in determining the relative weight of the commodity from which may be-judged its quality. Fig. l is atop plan view of the gage. l ig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on line m-.c of Fig. 2.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

The gage herein shown and described is especially adapted for use in conjunction with the fuel tanks of automobiles, for determining the quantity and quality of the gasolene or other liquid fuel within the tank, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such use, but may be used with any vessel or receptacle, for measuring liquids of any character.

in addition to'its function of measuring Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed September 19,1910. Serial No. 582,583.

Tatcnted Nov. 2, 1915.

the quantity andspecific gravity of the contents of the tank, the gage herein described possessesseveral incidentalfeatures of ad-" wantag'e, such as furnishing a supplemental force feed for tanksofthe gra\ityfeed type, and providing means for readily clearing the supply conduit leading'from the tank of deposit or obstructions. As is well known in orderto have a free and cven'supply of liquid from 'a. closed tank it is necessary to provide a vent or air inlet intothe tank whercl-rv air may enter to'replace the liquid ,witlnlrawn, and also that a liquid evaporates in proportion to its exposed surface. The present device provides an ad ustable closing for a'n'air vent for the tank while limiting the exposed surface of the liquid to e a minimum, thereby reducing the evaporation losses, which inthe matter ofvolatile liquids such asgasolene'and similar liquids is considerable. These incidental, features will be more particularly pointed out here .inafter. 2 g

In the drawings 1 1s a tank of ordinaryconstruction, having an inlet surrounded by a flange 2, screw threadedoi; otherwise formed to receive a suitable closure, In the drawing the cap or closure is shown as screw threaded, but it is to be understood that the form of fastening device is not essential, and that anyothersuitable fastener may be employed. I

Carried on the flange 2 is the usual strainer or filter screen 4: as usually found in automobile fuel tanks.

Suspended from the under side of the closure 3 is a tubular member 5, preferably of glass, although not necessarily entirely of such material. lnclosing the tubular member 5 is a jacket 6 also carried on the closure 3, and ha ving therein one or more vertical slots 7, said slots being preferablv oppositely disposed as shown in Fig. 5. Th s connection 8. A gasket lO of suitah'le'packin" matcrial is interposcd between the tube a and the sleeve-8, against which the inner end of the jacket 6 is screwed thereby compressing the gasket and retaining the tube in place. It is obvious that other niethods of attachment may be employed. Located in the closure 3 and registering with the bore of the tube 5 is a vent 11, controlled by the needle valve 12. From the vent 11 a conduit 13 leads normally to the atmosphere. The needle valve 12 is threaded into the sleeve 14 and is provided with packing 15 and an inclosing gland 16in the usual'manner. The upper side of the closure 3 is recessed and the operating handle of the needle valve, the conduit 13, and other parts are located within said recess below the level of the closure top in such -position that they will not interfere with parts adjacent to the tank, but whereby the surface of the tank and closure will be substantially flush. It willbe notedthat the extremity of the angularly. disposed conduit 13 is ina vertical plane, and that the orifice therein opens horiaontally below, the level of the closure, whereby the conduit is protected "from the entrance of dirt or other foreign material.

type. The air inlet connection is provided with a check valve 19 adapted to maintain the air pressure within the tank.

Operation: The usual condition of the tank and gage is as 'shown' in Fig. 1, with the tank closed by the -closure 3, and the pendant tubular member extending to a point adjacent'to the bottom of the tank. The tube 5 is open at its lower extremity.

- Under normal conditions'as when fluid is being supplied from the tank, the vent 11 is open through the withdrawal of the needle valve 12, and the tube communicates with the atmosphere through the vent 11 and conduit 13. Air is thus supplied to the tank to compensate for the liquid withdrawn, through the said conduit 13 and vent 11.

There being but a limitedarea ofliquid surface, equal only to the cross section of the tube 5, exposed'to the atmosphere, the loss .by evaporation even of a volatile fluid will be reduced to minimum. When the gage is in normal position with the vent 11 open, the liquid will rise within the tube to a level corresponding to that or the tank. If the valve 12 be then operated to close the vent 11, the

liquid will be retained within the tube, and

the gage may be removed from the tank for observation. The height of the column of liquid within the, tube corresponds to the depth of the liquid in the tank.

Engraved upon the inclosing jacket 6 is. a graduated scale 20, the graduations of which correspond to proportionate parts of the capacity of the tank. Thus if the tank had av capacity of fourteen gallons and the scale is divided into fourteen units, as shown in Fig. 2, each unit would correspond to one gallon of contents of the tank, and the height of the column of liquid in the tube compared with the scale would indicate the amount of liquid contained in the tank. The scale, may be graduated in any desired units as gallons, quarts, liters-,etc, and the scale may'be graduated from either'end, that is the zero point may be either adjacent to the lower end of the tube or adjacent to the closure 3. For convenience in handling the gage itrisdesirable to invert it'and arrange the scale 20 to read from the closure 3 as shown-1n Fig. 2. In as much as more or less moisture will adhere to the gage and triekfle down the tube and jacket during the reading of the gage, the flange 17 is provided which forms a drip cup in which the adhering liquid collects during the reading operation andfrom which it is returned to the tank upon the replacement of the gage and closure. In the case ofmany liquids the quality varies with the specific gravity; an in many 7 cases it is possible to determine the grade or purity of the commodity by the relative weight of a given bo lyof the fluid. Thisisnarticularly true. of certain gaseous or volatile liquids of which gasolene is one. Next in importance to knowing the available supply of fuel, as determined by means of the herein described gage, a knowledge of the grade 0r purity ofthe fuel supply is desirable to the automobilist. e

The grade or purity may be approxi mately determined by ascertaining the weight or pull of a predetermined quantity of the fluid withinthe tube 5 upon a vacuum gage 21 attached to the conduit13 as shown in Fig. 3., The vacuum gage 21 may be of any suitable type, the particular construction thereof forming no part of the present invention. The gage being in place in the tank, the conduit 13 being open, that is the vacuum gage not being connected,'the needle valve 12 is opened allowing the fluid to rise within the tube 5 to fill the tube. The gage is then removed from the tank and if more than the required amount of fluid is found in of fluid has been secured within the tube,

which is-an arbitrary amount previously determined in accordance with the marking of the vacuum gage scale, the vacuum gage 21 is attached to the conduit 13 by means of the union 22, and the needle valve is opened, thereby permitting the gage to communicate EHOdlt- V. iiis "to he understood that usage? parison of :he vacuum gage indication with a predetermined standard .vil determine approximately i-he grade or purity 01 the conr l'l'ie gage is not designed as an aecu ate scientific instrument, but the the results will he only approximately correct, sulliciently close for I Y die praciical purposes of an automobile dri er whr nu purchase fuel of an us;- 1

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iznown with the liquid ierelv opeuoned, when easv mai .7 ie or al' H. in .1

eve tl ii" inlet eoniieetion l8. s screw threaded to reon'neetion of a hand pump or ch er air eempress such as used to inflate the auronioinle tins. By means of such a pin o conr)" soi the pressure of the pen, the liquid contents varising fie tube 5 so or above 3e understood and ceneuit are open the column of r; iserl to or above ompressien of the 11;, he vent 11 is closed and Le gage is removed from the tank. lube found to contain mere than the required quantity, she vent 11 is slightly opened permitting the escape ofliquid until the top of the column stands the preeeterminerl point before described, ween the vacuum gage LIl attached to the con dull, 13, the vent 3. opened and the. leading taken as before nientiined. this means unount of liquio. may he column of.

gravity feed type of fuel tanks dil'lieully is frequently experienced in utilizing the last or the fuel supply, after the lluid level has fallen so low shat there not suliieient head to carry an ample supply of the liquid thrmigh the service pipe. Under such e0ndilions a supplemental forced feed may he pr0- videcl by closing the vent 11 by means of the needle valve 11, and increasing the air pressure within the tank upon the remaining liq id supply by means of a pump or comattaehed to the valved inlet 18.

A further advantage oi, the cl'uistruction is that of clearing ilie 7 serviee pipe which is frequently obstructed ov a deposit of oils gums, or dirt carried the gasolcne or other liquiu iuel.

closing veni ll, and operaijiug a pump or eoinpi ssor attached to the valved inlet the air pressure within the. laul;

may be increased. after which the service pipe Hilly he opened at the earhureuzr, and

.he pipe. ie tank is first leaving mu; clescrined my invention l. claim:

.1. A measuringpipette, and a dripchamber' carried by and surrounding the lower end of the pipelte when she pipette is held in measuring position.

2 In a device or bhe char: :ter deserilu-d, vessel closure recessed upon its opposite sides, a measuring pipeLte pmjevbiugr from within the. in. the inner side of the old sure, and a control valve or the said pipette loea ieil in the outer recess of the closure.

A measuring pipette, a drip ei ainher hie-losing the lower end of the pipelle when held in measuring posiiioin said drip chainher being adapted upon inversion of the pipette to form a elosurei'or a vessel \viiliin which the pipette will project.

in testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand this 'l'l'bh day of September, 1910.

il itnessesi i Runner: R. llomins, l ll. li aiyusa. 

